Terraforming
by WavesBlade
Summary: "I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts, IS LIGHT!" With those words, light exploded out of the door and obliterated Ansem's heartless, and for that brief moment, the long struggle was over... until a man dropped out of the explosion and then the train jumped right off the tracks. In which, as Kairi did for Sora, Kingdom Hearts did for Terra, and nothing was the same. [AU]
1. Freedom

"I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts, _**IS LIGHT**_!"

Sweat poured down Sora's face, hoping, praying...

And it was answered.

Light exploded out of the Door to Darkness, bathing Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, in it's grace. In a nova of light, the Heartless exploded, forcing Sora to shield his eyes briefly. When he lowered his hands, he smiled in relief, it was finally over...

And then a figure plummeted out of the light-nova. Sora's heart stopped for a moment, terrified that somehow Ansem had survived. Then he saw a flash of brown hair, strange clothes, eyes closed and definitely unconscious. Honestly, looking back after, Sora was flying after the person without even bothering to think after he registered the thought of '_Not Ansem_'.

"Sora wait!" sqwaked Donald.

Nope, not letting someone get pasted from this kind of fall. Sora dove hard, grabbing the guy by the waist and struggling to slow the fall (_this guy was heavy, no, bulky, holy crap Riku didn't have close to the muscles this guy had_). He managed to slow the fall long enough for Goofy to catch up and help, both of them setting the guy down on the white marble like ground a bit infront of the Door to Darkness...

Which was still seeping out said Darkness!

"Hurry!" shouted Donald.

The stranger momentarily forgotten, the trio rushed for the door, trying to close it. Donald and Goofy were arguing about something, but Sora was A) trying to close to the door, and B) trying not to pass out at the moment to pay attention...

"I cant...," he stammered.

Then a very familiar hand gripped the door. "Don't give up!"

Sora's eyes went wide to see Riku's hand.

"Come on, Sora! Together we can...," said Riku before trailing off, his eyes going wide at something behind Sora.

He glanced back, at the unconscious man. "Uh... he kind of dropped out of the Ansem-Explosion?"

Riku's face shuttered off for a long moment, eyes searching, before a pained look crossed his face. "So that's why he never came back..."

Sora blinked. "You _know_ him?"

"I could never forget him," said Riku so quietly, "Him or the promise. It's why I..."

Riku closed his eyes and sighed. "There's no time Sora, we have to close the door. Just... help him, Okay? And tell him... tell him I'm sorry. I didn't keep my promise..."

Sora just gave him a confused look.

"I was supposed to champion the one's I loved, to have the strength to protect what matters."

Sora's heart cracked a little, and he couldn't keep the sorrow off his face. "Riku..."

But there was no time, the Heartless behind the door were starting to swirl and gather. They pushed on the outside, he pulled on the inside, but the door closed so slowly... and then the Heartless were bursting behind Riku, fading into darkness as a glowing figure of light shaped like a mouse appeared.

"Now Sora! Let's close this door for good!"

When it was all said and done. The door closed and sealed. Riku and Mickey gone. Kairi _somehow_ being here and then floating away on a scrap of their island that exploded in size...

Sora sat down next to the unconscious man with a heavy sigh, Riku's last words echoing through his mind '_Take care of them_.'

One was obviously Kairi.

But...

Sora glanced over the man. Tall, he'd tower over Sora and Riku easily. Brown hair that went up in a sort of spiky way, but not Sora (or Cloud) kind of spiky. His skin is a little tanned. His chest is covered in a skintight black high-collared shirt. He had a red X over his shirt, almost like suspenders. One of his arms below the elbow is are except for a black wrist band, the other has a kind of extended gauntlet that goes down to his elbow. He has a kind of black sash with some kind of badge as it's connected, Sora doesn't recognize the symbol on it, almost like a cross but the top part went into another shape. He has a hakama connecting to tan pants covering his lower half. He also, Sora notes, has armored and pointed boots that he would really not ever want to be kicked by.

The 'Them' part is this guy. Who Riku has not ever mentioned once, yet made his best friend react like that? Who he made some kind of promise to? Sora doesn't think he's met the guy before, or if he did, he doesn't remember. How long had Riku been keeping that a secret? Why?

"You, mister, have some answering to do," muttered Sora, choosing to flop backwards, "When you wake up."

"Ahyuck, tired Sora?" asked Goofy.

Sora made a fake-snoring sound, earning a laugh from his friend.

Donald didn't join in, he was staring at their 'guest'. "Goofy."

"Yeah Donald?"

"Doesn't he look... a little familiar?"

Goofy blinked and scratched his head. "Not really?"

Donald paced around the guy. "I swear, I've seen him before somewhere."

"You know him too?" asked Sora.

Donald shook his head. "No. But... I know I've seen him before, I just can't remember where."

"Huh," said Sora, before shrugging, "...do we have any elixirs left?"

* * *

They made camp a few hours later after Sora and Goofy dragged the man down a dimly lit road out of the marble landscape, onto a large grassland with a dirt road. How that abyss place led to here, Sora really couldn't figure out, but weirder things (_a lot weirder_) had happened during his journey. Thankfully, the Heartless hadn't made a single appearance in this place, so the moment they put the man in his own tent, Sora flopped down in his own and was out like a light...

"_**XEHANORT**_!"

Sora woke with a yelp as a powerful booming voice ripped through the area, Donald sqwaking awake, and Goofy already rising with his shield at the ready. They tumbled out of their tent in a hurry, Sora called the Kingdom Key to his hands and looking around in the morning light but finding no danger... so Sora took the only logical step and rushed into their guest's tent. The man was sitting upright, brown eyes wide open in a panic, clutching his chest and breathing raggedly.

"You okay?" asked Sora.

The man jolted a bit, startled, and looked at Sora. "Who...?"

"I'm Sora," he answered, thumbing his chest.

"Donald!" said the duck, poking around one side of Sora.

"Ahyuck, I'm Goofy!" said Goofy, poking around the other side...

Until the two tipped Sora over and they bumbled to the ground in a heap, the Kingdom Key fumbling out of his hands.

"Well... that's some greeting," mused the man, a chuckle escaping his lips before he paused. "You have a Keyblade."

"Get off me guys," whined Sora as the trio rolled over, giving them a chance to assume a sitting position. "Yep. I'm the Keybearer."

The man raised an eyebrow. "'The Keybearer'? I'm pretty sure you're 'a Keybearer'."

Sora blinked. "I've never seen anyone else with one, well, except for Mickey that one time."

There was the Keyblade of Heart, but Sora was pretty sure that was unique.

The man tensed a bit. "Then... who bequeathed you?"

"Who _what_ me?" asked Sora.

"He means who passed on the Keyblade," chided Donald, bonking Sora on the head.

"Oww, well I dunno, maybe kinda Riku? But that's complicated," said Sora, "I didn't know passing on a Keyblade was a thing."

The man went very still at Riku's name, and then squinted at Sora. "You're that other boy from the island."

Sora blinked at him. "We've met?"

"When you were a young child," said the man, frowning, "But that's... how long has it... where am I?"

"Uh... I dunno really where we are at the moment," admitted Sora, "You kinda popped out of an explosion when we beat Ansem."

The man just gave him a blank look.

They fell into an awkward silence for a moment, Sora not quite sure what to say or ask, before he decided on, "Was that you yelling? Whose '_Xehanort_'?

The man's face darkened immensely, and Sora's skin prickled in warning. "A _monster_."

He glanced down at Sora's keyblade. "One I need to make sure I'm rid of. May I see your Keyblade for a moment?"

Sora gave him a confused look. "Uh... I guess?"

The man reached over, grabbed the Kingdom Key, looking it over briefly, a hint of a frown on his face before he reversed his grip, and to Sora's shock, stabbed himself with it. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

A brief shine of light broke through on contact, but nothing else happened. The man's eyes went distant, blinking and shifting rapidly, as if searching for something. Finally, a tense few minutes later, the man withdrew the Keyblade, no apparent damage done, and sighed with relief. "It's just me. He's gone... I'm finally free of him."

"Uh... what?" stammered Sora.

The man's face hadn't lost its darkened look. "Its nothing you need worry..."

Then he glanced over Sora's Keyblade once more. "Then again... you are one of the Keyblade's chosen, and I'm assuming you had something to do with freeing me. You're going to get dragged into this one way or another. I shouldn't let you walk into this blind... not like I did..."

* * *

Hours later, as day turned into night, Sora sat on a hillside alone, his knees brought up to his stomach, arms wrapped around them, wondering if it was to late to give up the Keyblade, find and grab Riku, then just go back home. The whole thing with Ansem was nothing compared to what was _really_ going on.

A Keyblade Master turned bad.

Wanting to start a second Keyblade War (_hadn't even been aware there was a first, which had almost destroyed all the worlds_).

Vanitas and Unversed.

Ventus, or Ven, a boy just like Sora, gone and missing.

Aqua, Terra's friend and a real Keyblade Master, gone and missing.

Eraqus, Terra's teacher, turned on his students, then murdered by Xehanort.

The X-Blade.

Body-stealing...

Everything he heard made Sora's heart ache. Not to mention Donald and Goofy hadn't even mentioned the other Keybearers until Terra brought their names up. Why hadn't they _told him?_ That there had been others, and that they were missing? He didn't like all these secrets. As much as getting whammed by all of that in one day was rough, Sora appreciated how honest the guy, that _Terra_ was. Brutally honest though, and a bit jaded. Not that Sora could blame him, getting manipulated his entire journey, his father figure murdered in front of him, then his body-jacked and forced to fight his best friend was _brutal_; the last in a way Sora was _intimately_ familiar with, as the best-friend and not the body-jacked thought.

He let a shaky breath out and ran a hand through his spiky hair. The whole thing was so overwhelming...

"You okay Sora?"

He glanced up to see Terra making his way up the hill. "Uh... sure."

Terra sat down next to him. "I'm sorry to front-load it like that. But... the life of a Keybearer is never easy, especially when the line has been broken for nearly a decade, the worlds left without our protection for so long. I imagine things are a bit of a mess, we have a duty to fix it, and I don't think we're going to have much of a chance to just sit down and talk once things begin again."

Sora swallowed at that. Because being a Keybearer wasn't just a thing, a tittle. It was a job. A way of life. People trained their entire lives for this...

And Sora hadn't...

He hadn't even been chosen...

"I'm sorry I'm not Riku, not the one you chose," murmured Sora.

Terra gave him a baffled look. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I'm not a real Keybearer, no one chose me," he said quietly.

"Not a real Keybearer?" said Terra, eyebrow raised, "Sora, do you realize what you did yesterday?"

Sora hesitated.

"Donald and Goofy filled me in on your journey, and Sora, I'm amazed," said Terra, a smile on his face, "You took up the mantle of the Keybearer without a single day of training. You went out of your way to help people, just because you could. You, took on, Ansem, who I've since figured was the heartless of my possessed self. The Heartless of Xehanort, and not only did you _win_, but your actions led to my freedom."

"Do you realize how remarkable that is?" asked Terra, soft and gentle.

Sora's face flushed a bit. "I um... beginner's luck?"

Terra snorted.

"Kingdom Hearts kind of did the final blow?" pointed out Sora sheepishly.

"Only after your heart called it forward," chided Terra, "Take the compliment Sora. You might not have been bequeathed, might not have been chosen to be a Keybearer. But you've more than proven yourself worthy of the tittle."

Sora couldn't find the means to speak with how red his face was with embarrassment.

Terra shook his head. "Honestly, I should have just bequeathed you both that day. Riku might have had the will and desire, but you easily had the heart."

"It's what anyone would have done," said Sora sheepishly before looking away, "Riku was just... he..."

"Riku fell to the same trap I did at an age even younger than I was. He didn't stand a chance Sora," said Terra softly, "Xehanort is a master manipulator, no matter what form he takes. I just... I wish I had been able to stop Xehanort, to spare Riku that fate, and have spared you taking up this mantle when everyone else who was supposed to bear it fell. Where myself, Aqua, Ven, and Master Eraqus failed."

"I'm more than a little scared out of my mind," admitted Sora before speaking with determination, "But I promise we'll find your friends, Terra."

Terra closed his eyes for a long moment. "We will, and neither of us will do it _alone_. Because that's where we failed before, where Xehanort succeeded. He set us up to be divided. We fell apart long before our final battle against him at the graveyard. The three of us fought our battles separately, not side by side, as comrades in arms, and that's how he won."

"I didn't turn to the right people, my _family_, for help when I felt lost," he said softly, opening his eyes, "Aqua and the Master didn't particularly make me feel like I could, and Ven... he took off on his own. He is a good kid, a little brother to me, but he put himself in danger, which in turn put us in danger."

"Because of the X-Blade?" asked Sora.

Terra scowled. "No, because we were worried beyond belief about him. Distracted, fretting. The X-Blade was a danger, yes, but, I was more worried about Ven himself then the blade. When... when he asked us at the Graveyard, to put an end to him if Vanitas won..."

Sora watched the man trail off, pain etched on his face. "It's not the kind of thing you ask a friend. You count on friends to help you when you need it the most, not kill you."

Terra nodded in agreement, at least, until shame coated his face. "Not that I heeded these words. When... when Xehanort was trying to dominate me for control of the body. I asked, I begged Aqua to put an end to me as well. I couldn't bear to be used against them anymore than I already had."

He gave a wry smile. "And boy, did she kick Xehanort's ass."

Sora wagged a finger. "Language."

Terra gave a hearty laugh before wiping at his eyes. "Oh Aqua... I'm so sorry... she had to fight us both..."

Sora said nothing, merely looking out into the distance as the sun set... wait... was that Pluto?

Sora jumped to his fleet. "Pluto!"

Terra followed his gaze, with Donald and Goofy at the camp downhill doing the same, to see their favorite dog friend walking past their camp with a letter in his mouth that bore a symbol.

Goofy whooped. "That's the king's seal!"

Sora was blitzing down the hill as fast as he could. "Have you seen the King, Pluto?"

The dog wagged his tail, before spinning in a circle and taking off down the road.

"Well," said Terra, falling in behind the trio, "Like I said, breaks never last long."

Sora grinned. "Nope! C'mon guys, lets go!"

"Uh... what about camp?" said Terra.

But the three were already taking off down the road.

Terra huffed and called after them. "Alright, I'll put out the campfire so we don't burn the field down and catch up."

Sora shot him back a cheeky grin but didn't stop running...

* * *

At some point, Sora had lost track of Pluto, Donald, and Goofy, with Terra somewhere far behind. He huffed and puffed, taking a moment to stop and look around as a tingling sensation ran down his spine. He felt like someone was watching him...

"Along the road ahead lies something you need."

Sora flinched at the voice, turning to face it, but it was gone.

He looked around again before turning...

Was that a guy in a black cloak _floating_ off the ground?

"However- in order to claim it, you must lose something that is dear to you."

Sora watched the man turn, down one of the dirt roads, and fade away. "Okay... that was weird..."

There was a rustle behind him, and he saw Terra walking around the bend of a hill, a frown on his face. "That man..."

"You were watching?"

"I've been watching," said Terra with a soft smile, "Long legs beat little stubby ones."

"Hey!" said Sora, pouting.

Terra's smile faded, glancing the way the man had gone. "He felt like... nothing on my senses."

"Senses...?"

Terra shook his head. "Leftover from the Darkness, I can... I suppose, smell things? Light, dark... and that guy smelt like Nothing."

"Guess he bathes?"

Terra gave a pained groan. "Not what I meant... never mind."

"There you are Sora!" called out Donald, "You never wait!"

Sora gave the duck a cheeky grin. "Nope!"

He glanced at Terra. "Think we should follow that guy?"

"What guy?" asked Goofy as he and Donald walked over.

"Someone laying a trap if I had to guess," said Terra, crossing his arms, "Vague with the promise of something you need, but at a price. Trying to lure you in. The question is, why?"

"Well, might as well go ask," said Sora, "Ain't nothing two Keybearers can't handle if it gets nasty."

"What about us?" exclaimed Donald.

"And our best pals got our backs!" added in Sora, grinning.

"Maybe," said Terra quietly, "But you're the only one with a Keyblade for the moment. Mine... is bound to what lingers."

Sora gave him a confused look. "Huh?"

Terra shook his head. "It's at the Keyblade Graveyard, and I can't call it to me. I'm by no means defenseless, I have magic, and pure physical strength, but I won't be at my best till I have my Keyblade in my hands again, but we have no means to get to the Graveyard, I don't see any Keyblade armor for you, and no gummi ship either."

Sora scratched his head. "Okay, we'll be careful, let's go."

The place they came upon was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Castle like, but nothing like Hollow Bastion. It was in that weird marble-like landscape, floating high above a pitch lack abyss. The castle was colored in bronze and green, pointy and sharp, with one single door as an entrance. Both wide and tall, though not at over, its rooms, at a distance, seemed to stretch and go this way and that. Sora stared at the bizarre sight for a long while, frowning at it. He glanced over at Donald and Goofy, they didn't seem to have a more than normal reaction to the place. Terra though... he had a heavy frown on his face.

"This place...," the man murmured, "I've never seen a castle like this before, yet... why does it pull on me so? It feels like... but that's impossible."

Sora tilted his head. "Feels like what?"

"It feels like home," admitted Terra, baffled.

"The... Land of Departure you called it?" asked Sora.

Terra nodded. "But it can't be, home looked nothing like this. Even after Xehanort wrecked it."

"Well, what does your heart tell you?" asked Sora.

Terra didn't move or say anything for a long moment before quietly answering, "That it is home."

"Well gosh, its been nearly a decade, perhaps it was redecorated?" came a chirping voice from Sora's hood.

Terra jumped a little. "What was...?"

"Oh, right, we never introduced Jimminy!" said Sora with a grin, reaching his hand into his hood and opening his palm.

The little cricket and record-keeper jumped into his palm, and then Sora pulled him out. The Cricket waved. "Nice to meet you Terra, sorry I didn't say anything earlier. Was to busy writing down everything you said."

Terra blinked at him. "Oh. Uh... that's fine."

He squinted. "Sora carries you around in his hood?"

"Yes."

"That has to be disorienting during battle."

The cricket smiled a little. "You have no idea."

Sora grinned sheepishly. "Sora the rollercoaster."

Terra crossed his arms and looked over the castle again. "Even a decade can't change the entire landscape. It's like the world was... I don't know, transformed?"

The man frowned, eyebrows furrowing. "Maybe this is..."

When the man didn't continue, Sora prompted, "Is what?"

"The role of a Keybearer is a dangerous one," said Terra slowly, "We are powerful, but few. In my younger, more doubtful years, I asked the Master how we could possibly stand against hordes of Darkness if they attacked en-mass our home. He just gave me a smile, and told me that our land was special, balanced in a way few worlds were, that it had defenses that could bare anyone from taking advantage of it. When I asked him what that meant, he told me it was a secret, something I'd find out when I became a Master myself."

Terra tilted his head. "I wonder if this is what he meant. Because your right, it looks nothing like home, but my heart, it wont lead me astray. This **_IS_ **home. I feel it deep down. I don't understand how or why, but it is."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Home sweet home."

"Well, lets go see whose home then," said Sora.

Terra's eyes opened, and there was a fire in them, anger in his voice. "Yeah, lets see who dared intrude upon this sacred land. Upon the abode of the Keyblade Masters..."

* * *

"Well well well, who do we have here? Wonder who tall, dark, and brooding is. Namine, any idea?"

Sitting at a long white table, a girl in a flimsy white dress, holding a sketchpad in her arms, looked through a crystal ball into the ground floor of Castle Oblivion. Her name, was Namine. She was surrounded by three others like her, and yet nothing like her. They were cold, they were cruel, they were controlling. They made her afraid for her life even if she wasn't supposed to be able to feel anything. Several men, and a single terrifying woman, in black coats.

Marluxia, pink hair, a fake-charming face, wielded power over nature, and used a wicked gleaming scythe.

Larxene, blonde, daggers, wielded the power of lightning with deadliness.

Axel, redhead, wielded dominion over fire, and used two chakrams.

There were others working in the basement level as well, but they were thankfully busy. Though, Ienzo was the least harsh towards her...

"Well, Namine?" asked Marluxia, leaning down to whisper into her ear, making her shudder a bit, "Aren't you going to answer Axel's question?"

Namine gripped her sketchpad tightly for a long moment, her pencil-tip on its page. "It... takes a moment to follow the chains of memories. From what I can tell, they've only recently met, he's not directly connected to Sora. But... I feel... he's connected to Riku somehow, if I just..."

* * *

_Aqua... put an end to me..._

_Aqua... Ven... someday I'll set this right..._

_At last, our moment is here. Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with a younger, stronger new one! I swore I would survive... and be there to see what awaited beyond the Keyblade War! And now it is your darkness that shall be the ark that sustains me!_

_You will pay, Xehanort! Was my Master-no, my father, Eraqus not enough for you? Leave my friends alone!_

_"Still so blind... Then I will make you see. Come to the place where all Keyblade wielders leave their mark on fate—the Keyblade Graveyard! There you will watch your dear Ventus and Aqua meet their ends, and the last light within you will die!"_

_In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking...its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love._

_You know, I didn't give it that much thought. Just doing what my heart tells me._

__Yes. I can't explain friendship. When you feel it, you'll know it.__

___Funny... This whole time I've been telling myself I want to be stronger, more independent... But the second I let my heart do the talking... I find out how little I really know myself. And how much I miss them. That experiment of yours... You sure about him? Maybe, in his heart, he wants friends just like the rest of us___

____Then don't. You could be my pupil. Master Eraqus, you see, is so afraid of darkness that he too has succumbed—not to darkness, but to light. It shines so bright, he forgets that light begets darkness. And Aqua and Ventus, their lights shine too bright. It is only natural that they cast shadows on your heart. Eraqus... He's such a fool! Light and darkness, they are a balance—one that must always be maintained. Terra...you are the one who shows the true Mark of Mastery, but he refuses to see it. And I know why. It is because he fears you. Join me. You and I can do the worlds much greater good, by wielding light and darkness in equal shares.____

_____This power... But I was consumed by anger...hatred. That was the power of darkness..._____

______You mean you've been spying on me? Is that what he said to do? The Master's orders?______

_______I have been to other worlds. I know all about the things you've done. I just don't understand why._______

________Why would Master Xehanort imprison the light? The purest hearts of light—do they hold the answer?________

_________You seem to be mixed up. I'm a peacekeeper, not a tyrant!_________

_________Thank you, Master. I swear...I will not fail you again._________

__________That every star up there is another world. Yep, hard to believe there are so many worlds out there besides our own. The light is their hearts, and it's shining down on us like a million lanterns...__________

* * *

Namine gave out a strangled cry and pulled out of the chains of memories, shocked and horrified. She blinked a few times, and on her sketchpad, she had drawn three hands holding three different but joined wayfinders. She stared at it, her stomach plummeting, as the weight of what she had seen weighed down on her. That man, Terra... he was... he had gone through...

"Well, I thought Nobodies were already pale to begin with, I say you just lost a shade or three," mused Axel.

Namine swallowed thickly, and gave them a look of fright. "Whatever plans you have for this castle, for Sora, forget them. That man is..."

She shook her head, trembling.

"He is what?" said Larxene, bored.

"He... he is perhaps the last person who can rightful be called the Lord of this Castle," said Namine quietly, making Marluxia grip her shoulder tightly.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" he demanded.

"He lived here, before this land became Oblivion," said Namine quietly, "Trying to use the castle against him isn't going to work, and he's not going to like us being here. He... he is so incredibly powerful, and... he's... he's... you know about... Sora and Roxas, right?"

Marluxia's grip didn't lessen. "What about them?"

"How Kairi brought Sora back from his heartless form, and now both he and Roxas exist at once?" she said.

"If you call this existing," muttered Axel.

Namine pointed at the crystal ball zooming in on Terra's face. "The same was done to that man, by Kingdom Hearts itself."

"Alright, who is he then?" said Larxene, picking at her nails with a knife, "Better be someone big, or I'm going to be upset with you wasting out time."

"He is half of the Superior's Somebody."

The room went deathly silent.

"How can you be half of somebody's Somebody?" asked Axel.

"Because, Xemnas was made of two people," said Namine quietly, "And _he_, is one of them..."

* * *

_**Author's notes**:_

_Welcome to another fanfiction prompt ^_^, been awhile since I put a new idea out there. Though, I imagine there's probably plenty of fanfics already that had one of the BBS Trio come back early. This was just an idea that popped into my head that I decided to jot down and share before I forgot._


	2. Up the Chain

_**Chapter 2: Up the Chain**_

* * *

**Note**: _Taking some creative liberties with Castle Oblivion and Terra | Maybe a bit with the Organization as well depending on your headcannon(s).  
_

* * *

Sora believed Terra in that his home had once been an awesome, warm and welcoming place. But here and now, all he got was the heebie-jeebies. The bright and bland white walls, floors, and ceiling were an eyesore to look at. There was no color _anywhere_. They entered into a long ground floor, leading to a small set of stairs and a single door. All along the walls were various symbols protruding out or etched into them. Pillars were spaced along the walls as support. Otherwise, there was nothing else. He shot Terra a look, and went still when he noticed Terra had gone motionless and tense, the man's eyes flickering through the area, lingering on various symbols.

"Oh boy," whispered Terra, "I see what the Master meant."

"What do you mean?" asked Sora.

"It's not an exact translation, is more symbology than actual words, but," Terra pointed at the various symbols. "All who enter upon this sacred land who are unwelcome shall be cast unto Oblivion. Their strength stripped away as this land tests their heart and their purpose."

"What... does that mean?" asked Sora with hesitation.

"It means, don't take another step unless I tell you to," said Terra in warning, taking point, his voice booming out, "My name is Terra! Keyblade wielder and apprentice of Master Eraqus! I call upon this sacred place, upon my home, to grant us safe passage!"

Sora swallowed a bit, glancing around, waiting, but nothing happ...

His eyes went wide to see some of the symbols on the walls glow, red beams of light seeming to wash over Terra, starting at his feet then going upward, like a scan.

'_Recognized Presence: Apprentice Terra._'

Sora jolted when a man's voice sounded out, though it had an odd tone to it, like a phone recording. He saw Terra flinch at the sound, his shoulder slumping, an air of loss around him. Sora wondered if the voice was Eraqus's?

'_Warning: Excessive Darkness Detected._'

Terra tensed a bit. "I've struggled with my darkness, but I do not let it rule me. Not anymore."

'_Assessment: Apprentice Terra shall be tested, if found wanting, your power shall be cast unto Oblivion._'

Terra sighed quietly, a tint of bitterness to his voice, "Always tested, always found wanting, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

He cleared his throat. "I accept."

There was a flash of light, and then a deck of cards of all things appeared in front of Terra, floating.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," said Terra, taking the cards in exasperation, "These are... was that why Eraqus had us play those games when we were younger?"

"Play what games?" asked Sora.

"Keyblade Cards," muttered Terra, shaking his head, "High and low cards, zero breaking, sleights. Master Eraqus, you are a sly old fox."

'_Secondary presences detected. Unknown Keyblade wielder. Two unknown entities._'

Terra immediately tensed. "I vouch for them! The Keyblade Wielder's name is Sora. His friends are Donald and Goofy."

Red light washed out of the walls. '_Vouching confirmed, initiating scan... little darkness detected. So long as apprentice Terra passes his tests, 'Sora', 'Donald', and 'Goofy' shall be allowed within these halls unchallenged as escorted visitors._'

There was another flash of light, and a deck of cards appeared in front of Sora as well. "Uh... what do I do with these?"

Terra motioned him over. "Sit, I better explain all of this before we go anywhere further..."

* * *

The collection of Nobodies stared through the crystal ball in a stupor.

"_That_, sure as hell didn't happen when we came in," said Larxene sourly.

Namine swallowed. "I told you the Castle wouldn't work against him, he's one of the few who can properly interact with it. I've seen inside his heart, they may be harsh but he's going to pass its tests. The Castle did not strip _any _of them of their powers. Terra alone is more than a match for any of you."

Kind of.

They might have a better chance since Terra didn't have his keyblade, but they didn't need to know that he couldn't call it. Namine's mind was whirling all around the possibilities Terra might bring. 'Freedom' from her jailers being the largest desire. Freedom from confinement, from isolation and loneliness, from Larxene and her cutting knives, from Marluxia's touches that made her shiver and his twisted words and desires. She so desperately wanted to be free of them, almost as much as she wanted to be her own person, and not just a shadow of the one most dear in Sora's heart.

Terra was a kind soul, hardened by his struggles, but if she could escape to him, plead her case... so long as the Organization didn't have her act against him before she got the chance, then she might be free, and guarded by the one figure who might be able to actually stand up to Xemnas if he got back his keyblade. However, if she was forced to use her powers on Terra or Sora...

She swallowed.

She could sense the darkness still in Terra's heart. His mercy for those who hurt his friends would not be much after what he had gone through.

Axel whistled a bit. "Well... I'm starting to think she's kinda right. The castle knows him, confirmed his a keybearer. This changes things..."

He cracked his neck to his side, eying the other Nobodies with a frown. "We all had our orders in being sent here, but... I think this calls for a break in procedure. We need to bring this to the boss man's attention."

Namine's stomach plummeted. No... Terra was strong, but he wasn't ready for Xemnas, not yet, not without his Keyblade.

Marluxia tensed. "I don't think we need to waste the Superior's attention..."

"I really think we do," said Axel firmly, "That guy is a potential threat, and if Namine's right, something the Superior personally needs to be appraised of. He _**WONT** _be happy if we keep this hush hush and he finds out later. I don't know about you, but I'm not interested in being turned into a Dusk."

Namine's shoulders drooped as Axel turned and walked through a Dark Corridor. Any hopes she had, dashed and gone. Terra couldn't beat Xemnas alone...

She hesitated, glancing towards the crystal ball. Perhaps not alone, but Terra and Sora together, with Sora still maintaining his power...

If it came to blows, they might stand a chance. But Xemnas wasn't an entity she could predict accurately, especially now that she knew more about the parts that had made up who he was. Master Xehanort defined the words cunning and calculative. Terra held a powerful will. Combined together, they were a force few could match. Even without a heart or a keyblade. Perhaps especially because the lack of a heart, with no emotion to hold back cold ruthlessness...

She tensed as Marluxia gripped her shoulders tightly. "How fast can you work your powers over memory? Can you bind them both to us quickly?"

Namine shook her head. "Sora would take time, and Terra... he's only loosely connected to Sora, I can't influence the chain of memories in his heart. Not without them growing closer, and even once that happens, it requires time. He's also a trained keybearer, he's not self-taught like Sora. He... might be able to detect if I try to alter his memories."

"So were screwed them," spat Larxene, "Coups busted before it even begins, we're stuck as Xemnas's little pawns."

Marluxia pulled away, moving to eye the crystal ball in thought. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Rather than us acting directly, this Terra could be used to eliminate the Superior with only a little proper prodding, and if it comes down to it, us intervening and turning on Xemnas at the right moment. If we time it perfectly, we could eliminate both the Superior and Terra at the same time."

"Or risk them teaming up and wrecking us," said Larxene dryly, "Hope your not forgetting, but they're apparently the same person. What makes you think they wont be buddy buddy?"

"Because Xemnas has part of Xehanort in him," said Namine quietly, "And there is nothing in all the worlds that Terra hates more than Xehanort..."

* * *

"Yo, bossman!"

Despite the fake-cheer, Axel was really, _really_, **_REALLY_**, hoping he wasn't about to be the messenger who got offed for bringing bad news. He stood behind Xemnas as the hooded silver-haired man waited on the Alter of Naught, staring up at their in-progress Kingdom Hearts. The Superior didn't immediately respond, or show any outward sign he had heard or noticed Axel's presence. So... same as usual, he'd be kept waiting until the boss decided Axel had enough squirming. One of several reasons he was inclined to want to '_replace_' him with himself and Saix.

"You have returned," said Xemnas slowly, "Far earlier than expected."

"There was a ah... complication," said Axel, "That I'm pretty sure you'd want to be informed of."

"Is that so?" came the deep, rumbling voice.

"I uh... yeah," said Axel, scratching the back of his head, "Ya know how Roxas and Sora exist at the same time? How the somebody popped out of their heartless? It happened again."

That got a reaction out of Xemnas, the Superior slowly turning to face him. "Indeed?"

"It was... well... your heartless, and your somebody," said Axel, bracing himself.

The Superior didn't even blink. "Interesting."

"Interesting?"

"So there now exists my former self, an apprentice Ansem," mused Xemnas, "While I exist in nothingness."

"Actually... he calls himself Terra, I think he has all his memories that you said you couldn't remember," corrected Axel, "He's in Castle Oblivion right now, with Sora. He's... apparently a Keyblade Wielder.

Again, Xemnas didn't react, his eyes merely boring into Axel. The redhead swallowed reflexively and waited...

"You were correct to bring this to my attention," said Xemnas finally, "This will require my personal supervision. You will remain here and assist Saix in the daily running of the Organization while I am away. I trust that you can be discrete with this information?"

"Yes sir," said Axel.

He watched the Superior turn and give one final look up at Kingdom Hearts before the man made a Dark Corridor and stepped through. Axel let out a breath of relief. "Felt like I dodged a bullet there, and for once, I don't have the icky job. Let them sort themselves out. Wonder if Roxas and Xion are up for icecream..."

* * *

Namine swallowed thickly, as barely ten minutes later, Xemnas walked through a dark corridor into the white room she was kept in, the gathered members tensing as he strode to the table and spoke two, deep, powerful words. "Show me."

Marluxia waved a hand, and the crystal ball on the table focused in on Terra. Xemnas stared at his former self silently, not moving, saying nothing. Namine sat anxiously at the table, gripping her notepad tensely. She loathed, was absolutely terrified, of Marluxia and Larxene, but Xemnas... he held their leash until they were to try and snap it. He could kill her with a flick of his wrist. The Lord of Nothingness. So cold and emotionless... would he even hesitate?

"Marluxia."

The man tensed. "Yes Superior?"

"Fetch Vexen, Zexion, and Lexaeus, fill them in on what is happening."

Marluxia bowed and left, taking a dark corridor to quickly go to the lower levels, returning a few minutes later with the others, who regarded their leader with empty-curiosity.

"Now, what has been observed and said thus far since they entered the castle?" Xemnas asked.

Marluxia gave him a brief rundown and then grew silent.

Slowly, Xemnas moved to sit at the chair opposite of Namine, his attention drifting to her. "You've seen into the chains of memories within his heart?"

"S-some of them, yes," she said quietly.

"And you said that I was born out of two hearts," said Xemnas slowly, "Explain what you mean by this."

"There... was a Keyblade Master named Xehanort," said Namine, "He tried to possess Terra's body by putting his heart in it. There was a fight, and both of their hearts and memories ended up being locked away."

"I see," was his only response.

"Well, that answers one question," said Vexen, "It turns out Xehanort was your name, in a matter of speaking."

"I have no attachment to that name anymore than I do the name Terra," said Xemnas, "I have made a new name for myself out of our studies of the heart."

"Of course Lord Superior, though it is a shame you cannot wield a Keyblade like your former selves could," said Vexan, "Why, Kingdom Hearts would be complete by now with your power!"

Boot licker was the though that Namine briefly had go through her head.

"Indeed," said Xemnas dismissively before turning once more to Namine, his eyes boring into hers, making her quiver a bit, "And what of this other heart? Of this Master Xehanort? Have you seen the chain of memories inside his heart as well?"

Namine's neck prickled. It felt like a shroud of death hung over her all the sudden. "N... no sir. He's... not connected to Sora at all."

"Can you tell if he did so return as well?"

Namine shook her head. "I don't know. One of Terra's more recent memories was of checking his own heart for Xehanort, but he found nothing. Maybe Xehanort is back, maybe he's not. I can't say either way, but for our sake, we better hope not."

"And why, Namine, is that?" inquired Xemnas.

"My connection to Terra is weak through Sora," she admitted, "I'm still slowly going through his memories, but... Master Xehanort wanted Kingdom Hearts as well, outright said it, and his desire for it differs from ours."

If Namine could pale anymore than she already was, she would, as Xemnas actually smiled. "Is that so? I suppose I will have to remember that, should I encounter him."

Xemnas returned to studying the crystal ball at the table. "For now, we shall watch this 'Terra', and see what the castle makes of him. If he cannot even pass the tests it has laid out for him, then he is of no use to us."

"And what of the boy?" asked Lexaeus.

Xemnas looked towards Marluxia. "What were your original intentions before the discovery of this 'Terra'?"

Marluxia had tensed a little. "We had planned to use Namine to rewrite his memory and bend him to the will of the Organization. To replace the Princess with Namine in his mind."

"I see," said Xemnas, eying his subordinate briefly, before turning to Namine, his own thoughts on the idea not shown at all, "And your thoughts on this?"

"Pfff, who cares what she thinks," said Larxene, "She's not even a member."

"That may be," said Xemnas, "However, she is the only one amongst all the Nobodies who can manipulate the chains of memories within a heart. Thus, the only one qualified to measure this plan."

Namine hesitated for a moment before speaking, "It wouldn't work in the long run. He won't forget. No matter how much I change his memory, Sora will never forget Kairi. Memories of me will just make his feelings for Kairi stronger. Because... because I'm her shadow."

She swallowed. "It'll backfire on us, and guarantee to turn Sora against us when it failed."

"And you did not think to give this warning to them before?" inquired Xemnas.

Namine shivered a bit, her arms going around herself protectively, her voice quivering, "They've... made their thoughts clear on my opinion."

"She's a freak, hardly even a Nobody at all," spat Larxene, "She does what we want, or she gets axed, that's all that she..."

"If I wished you to speak your opinion, Larxene, I would have asked for it," said Xemnas, his tone never changing, but making her go immediately silent, and the rest of the room perfectly still, "As it is, I am not unintelligent, nor naive. I ordered that those dispatched to this castle keep an eye on and take care of Namine when she was discovered, protected, not harmed. She should wish to aid us willingly to gain her own heart and existence, not be threatened, forced, or harmed into doing so. An Organization member she may not specifically be, but, hers is a unique and special non-existence, one that I would prefer to desire to stay with and assist her kind, rather than seek freedom from unnecessary oppression amongst potential enemies."

His eyes flickered to Namine. "You have my apologies for any... mistreatment you may have received thus far."

Namine stared blankly at Xemnas. Confusion lacing through her thoughts, and her face. Did he just... apologize to her?

"Superi...," began Larxene.

"Be quiet," hissed Marluxia, "Unless you really wish to seek an early grave."

Xemnas paid them no heed, merely watching Namine and waiting.

"I...," began Namine, conflicted.

Was... he being honest? They weren't supposed to hurt her or treat her this way? Did he really think she was that important?

"They... wont hurt me anymore?" she asked quietly, her voice pleading.

"They will not," agreed Xemnas, "If you are mistreated further, merely approach me, and I will take care of the issue."

Namine swallowed, biting her lip for a moment, looking down at her lap, clutching her notepad to her chest. What Xemnas wanted, to use Kingdom Hearts to be whole... was there anything really wrong with that? He can be cold and emotionless, but... he's a Nobody, and he lacked so many memories that would have helped him pretend to feel as his subordinates did. The lack of a heart also stopped them from caring about what was generally right or wrong, it was hardly a trait to him alone. Was... was she wrong in how she had been thinking of him? But...

She worked up the nerve to ask, in an even quieter voice, "Will you hurt Sora?"

Xemnas tilted his head. "We require a Keybearer to fetch us hearts to finish our Kingdom Hearts. Roxas can only acquire so many at the current pace he maintains as he adjusts to his position. It will be some time until he comes into his power. Even then, it is counter productive, nay, foolish, to impede upon another source of hearts."

He paused. "Unless he attacks us, would you deny us the right of self-defense? To hold onto what existence we have?"

"No," she said quietly, "Sora respects honesty, if your upfront with him, he might be more willing to help than you think."

"I will bear that in mind," said Xemnas, "Do you accept the offered apology?"

Namine hesitated, so much uncertainty clouding her. "I... its... okay... it wasn't you. But..."

"But...?"

Despite not having a heart, Namine had a particular flash of vindictiveness. "I think you should know that they are lying, that Marluxia and Larxene wanted to control Sora in order to turn him on you and take over the Organization."

Larxene shrieked. "That's a lie! She's..."

"Correct," said Xemnas simply, not even turning to look at the woman, "I had Axel originally sent here to uncover and find proof of potential treachery within the Organization should it exist, with the orders to eliminate any traitors. Your testimony is proof that I have been waiting for."

Dead silence filled the room.

"Were there any more traitors?" inquired Xemnas.

"No, the other's weren't involved that I know of," said Namine.

"Good."

**_SHING_**

Larxene dropped to the floor before she could react, Laxaeus's weapon carving through her back, and faded into nothingness. Vexen and Zexion thrust out their hands, a barrage of magic pinning Marluxia to the wall. They approached him...

"Wait."

They paused when Xemnas slowly pushed from the table. "Come, Namine."

She hesitated before getting up from her seat and moving to stand near Xemnas.

"I believe you are owed your due for your mistreatment, and a debt for identifying the traitors," he said slowly.

"I... don't understand," she said.

He snapped his wrist, a red ethereal blade springing from his open palm as he approached Marluxia's pinned form. "Place your hand upon mine."

Namine hesitated before moving to do so, her small hand on his cold large one.

"Guide my blade, and have your revenge."

Her eyes widened a bit, looking from Xemnas, to his hand and the blade, to Marluxia's panicked and fearful eyes.

Eyes so much like the ones she had when alone with him or Larxene... every time they hurt her... when they first told her what they wanted her to do to Sora...

She narrowed her eyes, gripped the back of Xemnas's hand with her own, and nudged it up and forward...

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **_

_Poor poor Namine, she had the right idea at first... but w___ho said Xemnas can't scheme & manipulate with the best of them?__

__Note that Xemnas didn't actually answer with a firm 'Yes, we won't hurt Sora' either. :D__

__Whether Namine gets pulled further into the Organization and becomes an eventual enemy to our heroes, or ends up breaking free like in cannon, remains to be seen. All things have consequences, have equal and opposite reactions, Terra coming back this early is a massive thing, that will have a deep impact on everything going forward, and not all of it necessarily good...__

__I also haven't decided if Xehanort is back yet or not, might still wait for Xemnas to be offed **IF** it happens like in cannon. We'll see.__

* * *

__**Review Responses**:__

__RAX: U_U my virgin unspoiled ears (eyes?)! I haven't gotten that far into KH3 yet.  
__

__MysteryGirl7Freak: If I recall BBS correctly, Terra passed them once on his way to see Yen Sid. Namine wont be influencing Terra's memories, at least, not yet if I choose to have that happen. He'd need to bond more with Sora first, and connect more to the boy. I might be spoiling it, but, Terra will remember nothing of his years as Apprentice Xehanort. His last memory would be falling into darkness, and Aqua diving in after him (aside from his talks with Xehanort inside their ca-joined heart). And yeah, I'm unbeta'd all the way, grammer and spelling will happen from time to time, soz.__

__The Keeper of Worlds: So... what happened with Axel then? :D__

__Miano53: Nah, just Terra. The Lingering Will still exists, but its at the Keyblade Graveyard.__

__SqieegeeWing: Kingdom Hearts /= make sense. It's a whole bunch of awesome madness, :D.__

__Robertkellett: He won't *stumble* upon Ven's body, but, the Castle might let him know at some point if he asks the right question after he passes his tests.__


End file.
